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Ideal Podcast Show Length: Short vs. Long?

I do not believe that length is a big issue at all, but is something that needs to be considered and thought about. Each podcaster needs to determine what his or her goals are for the show – overall format and depth of details covered in the recording will determine the length. You will find that half of your audience will want a short show and the other half will want a long show. So you cannot meet everyones desires.

Make the show length what you think is right for you and consider the value the audience is getting from the show based on the topic focus and segments. Do be concise, but have fun and give some of your personality over time as that creates a deeper personal connection with the audience. Over time this will create a friendship like relationship with your audience that will lead to the acceptance of longer shows. The comfort level you build over time will tend to cause your shows to get longer naturally anyway, unless you are rigid about it.

Always ask for audience participation and talk about emails or tweets they send you. Always think about what value you are offering and is it fun conversation, news or useful tips. All of these have various degrees of value based are your knowedge and talents. Most of all make a show that won’t burn you out to do every week as it is common for podcasters to start a new show and podfade after 6-10 episodes then stop.

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Rob Greenlee

VP of Content and Partnerships at Libsyn.com and LibsynPro.com, is a well-known evangelist of the podcasting industry and an 2017 inductee in the Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame. In his role at Libsyn, Rob is responsible for managing content provider and distribution partner relationships who entrust there content to the companies pioneering podcast publishing, distribution, management, measurement and monetization tools.

Rob’s long and storied history on nationally syndicated terrestrial broadcast radio starting in 1999, then webcast and podcast. WebTalk World Radio Show was heard on XM satellite radio and is recognized as the first broadcast radio program in the world to begin podcasting on Sept 15th, 2004.

He has continued working to advance the podcasting medium in these previous positions: